Locals Accuse Indian SSB of Demolishing Temporary Embankment in Susta, Tension Rises Along Border
Dragon Media News Desk
Local residents have accused India’s Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) of entering Nepali territory in the Susta area of West Nawalparasi and demolishing a temporary embankment under construction.
A dispute reportedly broke out between local residents and Indian security personnel following the incident, while Nepal’s Armed Police Force was deployed to the area to prevent the situation from escalating.
According to local residents, around 60 SSB personnel, including some in civilian clothing and carrying weapons, entered the Tharu Tol area of Susta Rural Municipality–5 at around 3:30 p.m. on Sunday.
They allegedly demolished a 132-metre earthen embankment being constructed to protect nearby settlements from flooding and erosion by the Narayani River.
Yogendra Gautam, coordinator of the Save Susta Youth Campaign, claimed that the Indian security personnel crossed about 300 metres into Nepali territory from a simal tree regarded locally as marking the boundary between the two countries.
He said local residents attempted to stop the demolition but were unable to do so because the SSB personnel had arrived in large numbers and were armed. A dispute reportedly followed between the residents and the Indian security team.
Local people said Indian security personnel had also entered the Susta area in Asar and pressured them to halt construction of the embankment. Work was temporarily suspended at that time.
According to local resident Munna Khan, disputes have repeatedly occurred in the Susta area because of the absence of sufficient border pillars, periodic changes in the course of the Narayani River and repeated intervention by the Indian side.
Residents said the temporary embankment was being built to protect settlements and agricultural land from river erosion and flooding. They expressed concern that its demolition could increase the risk of flooding in Tharu Tol and surrounding communities during the monsoon.
A team from Nepal’s Armed Police Force was deployed to the border area following the incident. Local authorities and security agencies have increased monitoring to prevent further tension.
Residents have called on the government to formally investigate the alleged entry into Nepali territory and the demolition of the embankment, and to seek a resolution through diplomatic channels.
No official response has yet been issued by the Indian SSB or Indian diplomatic authorities. The Government of Nepal has also yet to release a detailed official account regarding the precise border status of the location where the embankment was being constructed.
